1. The Field of the Invention
Implementations of the present invention relate generally to systems, methods, and apparatus for partitioning an interior space.
2. Background and Relevant Art
Conventional room partitions range from permanent to temporary, and include any number of materials for facilitating the same. For example, permanent room partitions, such as a wall, often include some form of dry wall mounted to one or more studs, with an applied finish or treatment. Temporary partitions, on the other hand, range from movable or modular walls and panels, and, in some cases, flexible types of dividers that are temporarily or semi-permanently affixed to a wall, ceiling, or floor structure. In addition, some flexible dividers include curtains, as well as hanging, ornamental items such as beads, or the like. Additional types of flexible dividers include sliding or accordion-style partitions that can moved and fixed into one position, and subsequently returned and fixed in an original position.
Most of these types of materials, whether permanent or temporary, tend to present unique sets of challenges that make them difficult to use in every environment where a partition is desired. For example, many of the above-mentioned materials tend for use in permanent partitions to be heavy, and/or can require fairly elaborate installation procedures. By contrast, some of the more temporary partition materials, such as curtains, hanging beads, or the like, tend to use very flimsy materials that provide little in the way of a partitioning structure, and further tend to provide either too much privacy or too little privacy as a partition. Specifically, most of the aforementioned materials tend to be insufficient for use as a semi-private partition, which operates as a partition, but is only partly see-through, or partly insulating.
Some examples of materials that can be sometimes used for private or semi-private ends include window blinds, such as collapsible window blinds. In general, collapsible window blinds can be made of any type of material resin materials such as MYLAR, or other types of plastics. In addition, the material for these types of collapsible window blinds tends to be chosen primarily for light blocking and insulating effects. The material for these types of collapsible window blinds tends to be chosen primarily for light blocking and insulating effects. For example, collapsible window blinds often include a honeycomb-like structure (as viewed from the side, cross-section), such as flexible diamond shapes that are joined at the bottoms and tops by another diamond in a continuing chain. The materials and shape used in this type of collapsible window blind tends to provide a double insulating layer for trapping air as well as light.
Unfortunately, the design, standard sizes, and overall shapes of such collapsible window blinds tend to make it impractical or impossible to use these types of materials as semi-private, or even decorative partitions for an interior or exterior room or other form of open space. In particular, decorations on such materials are usually limited to simple coloration or printing on the blind materials.